3,912 seats destroyed at Baba Yara Stadium

Managers of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium have appealed to government to release funds for the maintenance of the facility to halt its fast deterioration.

Mr. Kofi Addae, Principal Facility Manager of the National Sports Authority (NSA), described the current state of affairs as deeply troubling.

This has come about because the Authority has over the last three years not received any subvention to run the facility.

A visit to the Stadium by the GNA Sports, Kumasi, uncovered a more disturbing and revulsive spectacle as most of the facilities there, are left to wear away.

About 3, 912 seats at the 40,000 capacity stadium have been damaged and the wash rooms, a complete eyesore.

The pitch and tartan tracks are also not in the best of condition.

Constructed in the late 1970s, the stadium had hosted some major events including the 1978, 2000 and 2008 African Cup of Nations (AFCoN).

Incidentally, it happens to be the only facility in Ghana, capable of organizing national and international athletics events, following the removal of the tartan tracks at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Mr. Addae said owing to financial constraints, the NSA had been unable to engage the services of Zoomlion Company in the last six months to clean up the place.

That has forced them to close down the washrooms during sporting events, leaving spectators with no option but to do their own things at unapproved areas.

He said it was unimaginable for this to happen at this time and age of the nation’s development.

The last time the stadium saw a major facelift was in 2008 when the government spent about US$1 million to rehabilitate the facility, one of the four venues used to host the AFCoN.

Source: GNA